The EU continues to divide the European community, with the opposition voicing active resistance to pro-European governments and mass protests in some member states calling for a rejection of European integration and a focus on national interests.
Mass protest in Bulgaria
Thousands of supporters of Bulgaria’s Revival party tried to storm the headquarters of the European Union mission in Sofia during a protest against the country’s plans to introduce the euro in 2026.
During the protest in Sofia on Saturday, Bulgarians burned an EU flag, effigies of European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde and Minister for Finance of Ireland Paschal Donohoe.
Protesters also reportedly threw paint cans and attempted to set fire to the door of the building, with around 10 police officers injured during the protest. According to local media, six people were detained.
The demonstrators favoured the preservation of the national currency, the Bulgarian lev, and opposed the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria.
Member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria and chairman of the Revival party, Kostadin Kostadinov, demanded the resignation of the GERB government. He also accused the authorities that “our right to a referendum on the preservation of the Bulgarian lev has been illegally violated.”
When right turns into lawlessness, resistance is mandatory! Today it was the European Commission, which is unwelcome in Bulgaria, on Wednesday it will be the Parliament’s turn.
Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers later said it strongly condemned the vandalisation of the European Parliament and European Commission building in the country. Meanwhile, GERB also condemned the widespread protests in the capital.
We condemn the political aggression and rhetoric that substitutes political debate and misleads public opinion about Bulgaria’s membership of the eurozone.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the protest “outrageous.”
Romania under attack, Germany’s next
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Romania‘s capital on Saturday to show support for Călin Georgescu, the front-runner in last year’s presidential race that was annulled days before the run-off election. Many of the demonstrators in the centre of Bucharest waved blue, yellow and red Romanian flags, while others waved placards with slogans.
The presidential election is due to be repeated in May, but some are demanding a resumption of the cancelled results. Some experts accuse the pro-European leadership of trying to stay in power amid a possible electoral loss.
The protest comes after the Constitutional Court took the unprecedented step of cancelling the election just two days before the December 8 run-off. Georgescu shocked many when he won the first round on 24 November, followed by allegations of electoral irregularities and alleged Russian interference in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Germany held early elections caused by the collapse of the coalition government. According to the results, five parties were elected to the German parliament. The CDU/CSU bloc took the first place, with its leader Friedrich Merz set to become the next chancellor. Olaf Scholz’s ruling party took the third place.
Second place went to the national-oriented party Alternative for Germany (AfD). The election results showed a huge increase in electoral support for national movements, whereas pro-European forces are losing their former popularity.
The system built by the European Union is undergoing a tremendous decline against the backdrop of the rise of national-oriented forces and the popularisation of the idea of national unity. Residents of European countries are increasingly taking to the streets to express their discontent with the EU’s political course, which is leading the bloc’s member states to economic and humanitarian crises.
THE ARTICLE IS THE AUTHOR’S SPECULATION AND DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE TRUE. ALL INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM OPEN SOURCES. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT IMPOSE ANY SUBJECTIVE CONCLUSIONS.
Desislava Draganova for Head-Post.com
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